TurDef Weekly Brief 28 April 2024

Air-Air Capability to TB2

The weapon range of the TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle, which has an important place in Baykar's product family, is expanding. The last system on the agenda is the Sungur shoulder-launched air defence missile.

Currently, many UAVs are extremely vulnerable to airborne threats. This, of course, makes them easier to prevent and makes them an open target. For this reason, various measures are being developed. One of these is the integration of air-to-air missiles into unmanned systems.

Similar solutions have been developed for foreign products before. However, for the first time, the self-defence capability of a Turkish-origin UAV has officially come to the fore. With Sungur integration, engagement with TB2s, whose flight speeds are extremely low and therefore subject to various interception attempts, will become an operation that will be thought twice by enemy elements.

Of course, integrating an air-to-air missile into a UAV that flies at low speeds and has limited manoeuvrability does not mean that the vehicle can come into close contact, requiring harsh manoeuvres. Actually, the presence of the missile is an important factor here. The existence of ammunition that can be launched from air to air can be considered a highly deterrent situation for the enemy and a difficult risk to take. It should also not be forgotten that the ammunition was carried to remove the threat from the area rather than to eliminate it directly physically.

It is useful to look at the issue from the opposite side. Of course, launching missiles when necessary has the possibility of success. However, the chance of success of a MANPADS-class missile against fast jets at high altitudes is limited. For this reason, it is possible that the launch of the mentioned system may introduce a vulnerability. The UAV will inevitably become an open target if a hit is not recorded. For this reason, carrying the missile would not be wrong to conclude that it constitutes a greater deterrent than being thrown away. This would prevent similar cases like the Russian Su-27 attack on a US UAV on the Black Sea.

#TB2 #UAV Baykar Technologies ROKETSAN

Colluision: Iran, Israel, USA and Türkiye

The ever-rising tension between Iran and Israel has recently turned into a de facto conflict. The attack launched by Tehran with unmanned aerial vehicles was a move that would benefit both itself, the USA and Israel in the region.

The attack launched was a purely cosmetic move regarding the weapons of choice. Iran has repeatedly declared in the propaganda it has shared for years that it has much more advanced warhead delivery systems. Despite this, the selection of weapons at very low speed and the fact that they are extremely easy to hunt and prevent is the factor that feeds the question marks in the developments.

Iran is doing its best to take advantage of the political opportunity it has received due to the increasing violence that Israel has been using in Palestine for a while. Tehran evaluated the fact that the attitudes of Muslim countries in the region did not go beyond political moves and adapted this to its own interests as a basis for a show of brute force.

Israel was in a politically stuck situation in the international arena due to the disproportionate force it applied to Palestine and the violent incidents. As a result of the initiative, which can also be described as a kind of collusion, Tel Aviv has reached much more than just a space to breathe. While the political pressure on him was relieved, the ground was prepared for military aid from the USA. Even more than that, it stockpiled justifications that would be accepted internationally for possible future ground operations. Additionally, he developed various arguments to legitimize violence.

Another winner is the USA. Washington stayed out of the events and directly intervened, ensuring that things were shaped in its own interest. In addition to the statements made, the direct support given to Israel received no reaction despite the violence in Gaza. On the contrary, the transfer of Tel Aviv to the politically right side with the help of Iran paved the way for the USA to more easily support Israel, which is a key point for its interests in the region. On the other hand, with its continued role in the defence process against incoming attacks, it has been a solid renewal for the image of "I am the protector of the region", which has been damaged for a while by China's initiatives in addition to the various investment and cooperation moves of the Arab States.

Kürecik will inevitably come to the fore more critically following the Iranian attacks. Iran's direct, albeit exemplary, attack can be described as an important show of power in the region from a military perspective. It is obvious that this will not look very positive in terms of the image that Ankara has been refreshing and developing for a while.

#Israel #Iran #politics

BrahMos Claim for Greece: Is Türkiye Prepared for the Hypersonic Threat?

Recently, the international press put forward an interesting claim about Greece. Rumours have claimed that the country bordering Turkiye will supply BrahMos hypersonic guided missiles from India. Considering New Delhi's marketing activities and Athens' attitude towards procurement, this is a slim possibility for now. However, this development also has some serious points.

BrahMos' most important ability is that it is hypersonic, meaning it can fly five times faster than sound. When this parameter is evaluated, it can be said that the Greek side will try to use guided missiles in a possible supply to break Turkiye's superiority in the Eastern Mediterranean rather than in a narrow area such as the Aegean. Considering the guarantor rights over Cyprus Island, the situation between the north and south halves of the island, and Athens' attitude, it can be said that this would be a no-brainer in a possible step.

It is known that the Indian Missile has various vulnerabilities. However, the flight speed of the system still creates problems for the target area and the defenders. The high velocity provides a much shorter detection and reaction time for interception than other conventional guided projectiles.

Even if the ships respond to the threat in time, it is a significant handicap that current guided missile solutions have not been developed for such a situation. Of course, the necessity for hypersonic systems to slow down before the terminal phase is an important weakness for the attacking side. However, the insufficient destructive power of the currently installed point defence systems and their limited range pose a problem for the defenders. Another point is that even if the bullet is hit, the debris coming at high speed may cause damage that will at least put the ship out of commission.

Turkish Defense Industry, which has recently gained significant momentum in air defence systems, has developed domestic solutions such as the 35-millimeter Gökdeniz and Hisar missiles. The weapons equipment and the distances covered in the radar field are actively showing their fruits on the Turkish Navy platforms. The integration of weapons into Turkish ships and access to a more advanced detection and diagnosis facility has brought a significant defence capability against a possible hypersonic threat, compared to the past and many surface elements worldwide. At this point, it can be evaluated that with the rate of fire, programmable ammunition and longer effective range, Turkish ships can safely continue their missions by eliminating the system they see from a distance, at a safe distance, even in the worst-case scenario.

#greece #turkiye #india #navy BrahMos Aerospace